Dispensing package



April 8, 1947 M. R. Ran-MAN Y DISPENSING PACKAGE Filed Nov. 13, 1944fllxlllli. L

Patented Apr. 8, A1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEy DHSIENSING PACKAGEMorris R. Reitman, Chicago, Ill. Application November 13, 1944, SerialNo. 563,178

Y 2 Claims. l

This invention relates to an improved package and more particularly to apackage fromwhich the packaged goods may be conveniently dispensed.

The main, objects of the invention are to provide a package which in itsoriginal condition is adequate for maintaining the goods in fresh,salablecondition for the usual maximum shelf life of'thepackage; to'provide` a package which theV ultimate purchaser may quickly and easilyconvert into a reclosable dispensing package; and to` provide such apackage which` may be easily and economically made at low cost.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will: be understood byreference to the following specification and accompanying drawingwherein the improvement is illustrated in the form of a cigarettepackage. It should, :however, be understood that the invention isadaptable to the packaging of other commodities and that the presentdisclosure of a cigarette package is merely by way of example.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective showing a completed package, certain portionsbeing broken away to illustrate some of; the details of the packagestructure;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a spring element employed in the package;

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a perspectiveillustrating-the package inA opened condition;

Fig. 5 is an end View of theopened package showing themanner in whichopening is eifected;

Figs. 6 and 7 are plan views of two forms of lining or inner wrapperswhich may be employed in forming the improved package;

p Figs. 8 and 9l are plan views respectively of two forms of outerwrappers which may be ernployed in forming the improved package;

Fig. 10 is a section throughan end portion of thepackage; and Y Fig. 11is a section corresponding to Fig. l0 but showing a changed arrangement.

The cigarette package illustrated in Fig. 1 includes an inner wrapper land an outer wrapper 2. The inner wrapper l is formed from a blank such`as illustrated in Fig. 6. h Thevblank is of asuitable grade` offlexibledpaper having the desired moisture or air-impervious qualities.The wrapper need not be preliminarily creased or scored to facilitatefolding of the wrapper but in-Fig. 6 creasing, indicated by dottedlines, representsthe lines on- Whichthewrapper is folded 'III CAB

to form. the inner enclosure for thepackage content. As shown in Fig. 6,the folding. is effected so. that the` wrapper is divided into a main.or central panel 3, opposite side panels 4` and,5, and back panelsections 6 and' l', which cooperate to form a. panel opposite` to thepanel 3'. The wrapper is somewhat wider than the length of the packageso that marginal portions 8. and 9 are provided. for folding over theends of the package conti-int` in a more or less conventional manner, asillustrated. in` Fig. 1`.

For thepurpose which will presently appear, the mainpanela of the, innerwrapper l ispro.- vided with a line of severance il]which is suiciently`incomplete to effectively hold together the portions of. the wrapper on`opposite` sidesV of said line of severance. 'lhe line of severance maybe formed of a-.series of short slits or score marks having their endsseparated by small bonds, as indicated at Il, or it may be in the formof a continuous` cut extending'only part way through the thickness ofthe` wrapper, or inany other suitable` manner.

In one forml of the invention.. aA tear strip 3lT may be` adhered to theinside of the inner wrapper to facilitate opening of the package.

When the wrapper Itis formedabout the package contents, it will be seenthat the line` of seyerance l0 extends longitudinally across the middleof onewide face of the packagerand that said line of severance extendsdown across the end iiaps l2 and i3 respectively on theopposite ends ofthe package.

Athin wire spring it, such as shown in Fig, 2, is :placed around theinner wrapper of the package, the free ends I5 and l5` of the springbeing located on the face of the wrapper which hasthe line of severanceIE) and on opposite sides thereof. As shown in Fig. 2, the spring isinitially so formedthat in its untensioned or` free condition, its freeVend legs Il' and i8 incline downwardly and inwardly towards a straightleg 19; the side :legs of the spring beingof` more or less angularformation embodying the angularly` disposed portions. 29, 2l and 22.When the spring is applied to a package, the legs l'lfand4 I8 assume anapproximately aligned positionl on one face ofthe package whilethe leg4I9 engageslthe oppositeface. The angular portions of the oppositesidespof the spring are flexed tomore or less upright positions and`they are somewhat straightened out. Incident to the flexingof thespring-as indicated, thespring effectively grips the package andthereby` holds `itself` in the desiredplaceon the package. The`centrally re- 3 cessed edge formation of the package resulting from saidangular spring portions 20 and 2l facilitates gripping of the package inthe process of opening it as hereinafter set forth.

Reinforcing strips 40--40 of relatively stiff paper board or othermaterial may be provided on opposite sides of the line of severance l0.Such strips are preferably adhesively secured to the inner wrapper andthey serve to support the free ends of the spring i4 and to stiffen thewrapper portions on opposite sides of said line of severance I0,especially after the package is opened as will hereinafter be explained.

After the spring I4 is applied, the outer wrapper 2 is applied. Saidouter wrapper 2 is also usually formed of flexible paper bearingwhatever trade marks or other data may be desired, and said wrapper isso formed as to cover the four sides of the package but only one endthereof. This is in keeping with present conventional cigarette packageproduction but is not essential to the employment of the presentinvention. If desired, both ends of the package may be covered by theouter wrapper.

As shown in Fig. 8, the outer wrapper 2 is formed so as to have panelportions and one margin or end portion adapted to cover the sides andone end of the package enclosed in the inner wrapper l. In Fig. 8, thevarious panel portions are indicated by fold lines represented by dottedlines. Such fold lines may or may not be preliminarily provided in thewrapper as best suits the operation or mechanism employed for applyingthe outer wrapper.

A main panel 23 which overlies the main panel 3 of the inner wrapper ispreferably, although not necessarily, provided with a line of severance3-9 which will register with or approximately overlie the line ofseverance i and the tearstrip 3l of the inner wrapper.

The outer wrapper 2 is so applied to the package that the slitted wall 3of the inner liner is covered by the panel 23, and the panels `4, 5, 6and 'I of the inner wrapper are covered by panels 24, 25,V 26 and 21respectively of the outer wrapper 2. In this instance, the panel 21 isshown as closely approximating the full width of the panel 23 so that onboth of the wide faces on the outside of the package there will besubstantially unbroken panels on which to print whatever information itmay be desired to provide on the faces of the package.

The outer wrapper 2 is also applied in such a manner that its endclosing margin 3E) will cover the end of the package from which projectsan extended end portion 38 of the tear strip 3l. Said end portion 38 isof suiiicient length to be folded back and forth between the end closingfolds of the inner and outer wrappers, and to project beyond the end ofthe outer wrapper to provide an accessible gripping piece as shown inFig. 10.

The package may be easily and quickly opened by pulling on the end 38 ofthe tear strip to break the weakened lines i D and 39.

A revenue stamp 32 is usually applied over the conventional open end ofthe package, such stamp incidentally serving to seal the outer wrapperagainst endwise removal from the package. Said revenue stamp (or anyequivalent) will also be torn as an incident to the operation of openingthe package by means of the tear strip 3l.

When the package is Opened in this manner the overlapping endportions 35and 36 of the opposite margins 8 and 9 will readily separate, as

indicated in Figs. 4 -and 5, so that it is not necessary to provide anyline of severance in the marginal portions extending from the wall panelportions 6 and 1 of the inner wrapper.

As shown in Fig. 5, the package may conveniently be opened after theseverance has been effected, by gripping the opposite edges of thepackage between the thumb and middle fingers while placing the indexnger under the longitudinal central or hinge forming portion of theunsevered side wall of the package. Thus the package may be manipulatedwith one hand, leaving the other hand free to remove material fromwithin the package.

If desired, the inner wrapper I may be replaced by the wrapper la whichis the same as the wrapper I except that the tear strip is omitted. Theouter wrapper 2a employed with the Wrapper la may be formed as shown inFig. 9 wherein the line of scoring 39 is supplemented with a tear strip28 on the inside ofthe wrapper. If preferred, the scoring 39 may beomitted when the tear strip 28 is provided.

When inner and outer wrappers la and 2a (as shown in Figs. 7 and 9respectively) are formed about package contents, the package may beopened by gripping the tear strip end portion 29 (which projects beyondthe adjacent end of the 'outer wrapper) and pulling on the tear strip soas to tear or sever the overlying portion of the wrapper (along thescore line 39 if employed) including the overlying revenue stamp at theconventional Open end of the package. The tear strip 28 is provided withan end extension 3| to extend across the open end of the package Vunderthe sealing stamp 32 which will be adhered thereto.

The inner wrapper may then be opened by breaking the line of severanceI0 by drawing the thumb nail or a suitablev instrument along said lineI0.

It will be seen that both the inner and outer wrapper may be formed withincompleted lines of severance or both may be formed with tear strips ortapes, or either one may have an incompleted line of severance and theother a severing tape strip. Other forms of severing means may beprovided and various changes made in the details illustrated.

I claim:

1. A package of the class described lhaving a substantially continuousopening line traversing a pair of oppositely disposed walls and one of asecond pair of oppositely disposed walls intermediate said firstmentioned pair, the other wall of said second mentioned pair beingbendable along a line extending between the ends of said opening line,and alone piece element encircling the package transversely of itsoppositely disposed bending and'opening lines, said element having'endportions disposed on the intermediate wall having a portion of saidopening line therein and respectively on opposite sides of the latter,opposite wall engaging portions of saidy element being bowed inwardly ofthe package so as to eifect recessing of the WallY portions engagedthereby, the portion of said element traversing the bendable wall of thepackage being flexible and resilient so as to permit opening, and so asto effect closing of the package substantially as described. s V Y 2,. Apackage of theI class described having a substantially continuousopening line traversing a pair of oppositely disposed Walls and` one ofa second pair of oppositely disposed walls intermediate said rstmentioned pair, the other Wall of said second mentioned pair beingbendable along a line extending between the ends of said opening line,and a one piece, metal, flexible spring wire element encircling thepackage transversely of its oppositely disposed bending and openinglines, said element having a main leg traversing said bendable Wall,side legs traversing said pair of oppositely disposed Walls and end legsdisposed on the intermediate wall having a portion of said opening linetherein and respectively on opposite sides of the latter, said end legsextending angularly toward each other and toward said main leg when theelement is in its free state before application to the package and saidelement being sprung to package-receiving condition when applied to thepackage whereby the resiliency of the element causes the element to gripand thereby attach itself to the package, the flexibility and resiliencyof said spring wire element serving to permit opening and to effectclosing of the package susbtantially as described.

MORRIS R. REITMAN.

Diamond Oct. 10,

